Overview
- LSU confirmed the death of Bob Pettit and reports say he died peacefully at his home in Metairie, Louisiana; family statements accompanied organizational tributes.
- The Atlanta Hawks, the NBA and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame issued public remembrances highlighting Pettit’s role as a league pioneer and team ambassador.
- Pettit played 11 NBA seasons with the Hawks franchise after starring at LSU, and he won the league’s first MVP award in 1956 and again in 1959.
- His defining moment came in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals when he scored 50 points to secure a 110–109 title win over the Boston Celtics.
- At retirement in 1965 he led the league in career scoring with 20,880 points and ranked second in rebounds with 12,849, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1970.